Starmer urged to reverse winter fuel payment cuts as Unite general sec slams PM's 'cruel choice' of policy
24 September 2024, 10:28
Unite's General Secretary has urged Keir Starmer to reverse the decision to cut winter fuel payments for some pensioners.
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Sharon Graham described the decision as a "cruel choice" while speaking with LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, adding that she was "disappointed" by the cuts.
She said: "People cannot understand, in the workplaces and the highstreets, I'm inundated by people saying why are Labour taking away the winter fuel allowance? It's wrong and they need to reverse it".
Sir Keir faces lingering anger over the decision to strip winter fuel payments from around 10 million pensioners.
She told Ferrari that she had raised the issue with Starmer earlier this week.
Unite the Union's Sharon Graham on winter fuel payments
"Obviously what's been said is that they were left a mess by the Tories and that is true.
"But the truth of the matter is that the choice of leadership is you make choices, and they are making the wrong choices, this is a cruel choice they've made and they must reverse it".
Later, when probed on what she wants to hear from the PM, she said they must be "no austerity".
"Absoluely critically for me, there must be no austerity, I know that's been said yesterday but that means no cuts - and fundamentally for my members there has to be a programme for investment in jobs".
Yesterday, Rachel Reeves spoke of the decision to the Labour conference in Liverpool, saying she would “not duck” difficult decisions, but added she didn't take it "lightly".
“I made the decision to means-test the winter fuel payment so it is only targeted at those the most in need,” she said.
“I know not everyone in this hall or the country will agree with every decision I make but I will not duck those decisions. Not for political expediency. Not for personal advantage.
“Faced with that £22 billion black hole and that triple lock … I judged it the right decision in the circumstances that we inherited. I did not take those decisions lightly.”
During her conference speech, Ms Reeves repeatedly blamed Tory "recklessness" for the tough decisions coming in the October 30 Budget.
Her speech was also briefly disrupted by an anti-Israel protester who was bundled to the ground and drowned out by boos from the crowd.Sir Keir Starmer has promised to protect public services from swingeing cuts, as he made a bid to move on from rows over donations and strife at No 10, after arriving at the Labour Party conference.
The Prime Minister said his Government was not "going down the road of austerity", like that pursued by David Cameron's administration.
It may signal that the Treasury has found new ways to free up funds, after the halt on spending to address a £22bn black hole in the public finances announced not long after Labour came to power.
